Coach Mike McCarthy said he expects former first-round draft pick Derek Sherrod to play this season. / File/Press-Gazette Media

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Coach Mike McCarthy said he expects former first-round draft pick Derek Sherrod to play this season.

Sherrod has been out since December of 2011 after breaking both bones in his lower leg in a game his rookie season at Kansas City. The third-year tackle is eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list next week, and then the Packers will have an eight-week window thereafter to activate him, put him on injured reserve or release him.

But McCarthy said it became clear early this season that Sherrod will be on their 53-man roster this year.

“I’d say probably Week 1 or 2,” McCarthy said. “I really felt at the end of training camp his workouts went to a different level. He’s in excellent shape, he’s obviously a lot stronger than he was this time last year.

“As I’ve stated and it’s obvious, that was a very, very serious injury. He needed the extra time. He looks good, he’s champing at the bit. But let’s be honest, the biggest hurdle he’ll have to get over next is pads. He needs to get in pads and he needs to get in there. Once he gets over that hurdle I think he’ll be ready to go.”

Sherrod had emergency surgery on his leg the day he sustained the injury in ’December 11, then missed all of last season. He’s been on PUP since the start of training camp.

Sherrod can begin practicing any time in the next five weeks, and once he starts practice he has three weeks until the Packers have to take him off PUP.